A Survey of Quakerism, Section 1
SECT. I.
THOUGH it is undeniably ſad, and one of the moſt ſearching Tryals of the Church, at which many are ready to be ſhaken, when the Truth ſeems intangled in a conſuſion of contrary Doctrines, and the ſpirit of Error let looſe to darken the ſame, and that we ſee it alſo one of the greateſt ſtrokes from God inflicted here; yea greater than that on the Affections, in the delivering up of mens Reaſons and Judgments to ſtrong deluſion, with theſe fearful productions, which are this way oft found, becauſe they received not the love of the Truth: yet it is well we know the Faithfulneſs of God is ſure, and ſtands good, to bring the Elect ſafe unto Glory, whatever Rocks and Shelves be in the way, on which ſo many have viſibly made ſhipwrack; nor can the Truth conflict with ſuch a Tryal, but for its farther Triumph, and ſome more bright breaking forth of its light; and that no evil eye, nor the curſing of any ſhall ever blaſt that Intereſt which God hath bleſſed. One thing I confeſs ſeems ſtrange, and moſt threatning in this time; whilſt Religion, and the Chriſtian Faith is in ſuch eminent hazard, and the Devil in an unuſual manner let looſe to deceive, to ſee how great a part of thoſe who profeſſedly own the Truth, are fallen as in a dead Palſey, and indifference about the things of Chriſt, though never more vigorouſly moving about their own things: nor ſeem they with ſuch ſuitable fear, to be jealous of the corruption of the mind, and intellectual Errors, as they are of moral Corruption; as though diſeaſes in the Head were not to be feared, which are uſually found of all to be moſt mortal; yea, when ſo diſcernibly, this is one of the depths of Satan, and his known devices, to bring in Atheiſm and Irreligion by Error, and turn the World from all ſetled perſwaſion of the Truth, by ſome high pretences thereto; for which one ſad inſtance I muſt here give, that I am ſure, except men ſhut their eyes, they cannot but ſee. No engin could have a more native, and effectual tendency to bring ſuch as were unſtable the fartheſt length of Vaninus, and his followers, even to deny and blaſpheme a Deity, than to unhinge them once from founding on the Scripture, and turn them over to that way of the Quakers, which now ſeems to have ſuch a formidable growth in the Church.
What theſe are, who under this name, and peculiar cognizance of Quakers, have become ſo known, and ſtated an adverſary to the Truth this day, the account they give of their own Doctrine and Principles, can too clearly witneſs: nor needs there any great ſearch to be made about their riſe and deſcent; it is too late, and but a few years ſince the World knew ſuch a monſtrous birth, though I confeſs in its complex frame, if it be ſeriouſly conſidered, it is a moſt diſcernible compound of theſe ancient Hereſies that have ſprung up in the Church, which did formerly, each in their turn, eſſay to ruin the Truth. But this alſo we may know, how at an ebb-tide, after much former abuſe of Light, and in an hour of great Temptation on the Churches of Chriſt, theſe did adventure to creep forth, to whom once the Light and authority of the Truth would have been a terror, and while the Watchmen ſlept, hath the Devil eſſayed to ſow ſuch ſeed, having that advantage, which in the like caſe Calvin ſaid of Servetus, Fatuitas dogmatum me ſecurum reddit. It's true, they are skilful to put themſelves in ſuch different forms as may make it ſomething difficult how to handle them, being under a viſible awe and dread to be found out in what they are: But I am ſure, if what they own to the World in their Writings, bear any ſenſe, and their words be not ſuch as none poſſibly but themſelves can underſtand; it may be eaſie to ſee the undoubted tendency of this way, is to ſubvert the Chriſtian Faith, to explode the Scripture from being the alone rule and ſtandard of our Religion, and incite thoſe they converſe with to a real Apoſtacy from Chriſtianity.
Now in ſpeaking to this ſubject (which is ſuch as ſhould make it a ſad and unpleaſant work to rake in ſo horrid a dunghil as the known Tenets of this Party are, if a teſtimony to the Truth, and for its Vindication, did not neceſſarily require the ſame) 1 muſt here offer a few things to be conſidered, which in this following diſcourſe ſeem to be of greateſt uſe to be cleared. 1. What Poſitions theſe of the Quakers are in which they do moſt viſibly agree and unite and how direct a ſendency they have to ſubvert the Faith, in the great Foundations of Chriſtianity? 2. What ſhould be the meaning of this ſo ſtrange, and amazing an aſſault, they do adventure upon againſt the Faith; and how ſad an account it gives of the temper and complexion of this time when, with day-ſight, ſuch dare come ſorth to expreſs themſelves at this rate. 3. It is of ſpecial uſe to conſider what advantage Chriſtians have here, even from the ſtrange appearance of this Party, to clear the holy and unſpotted way of the Lord, and for being more ſixed, and ſtrengthned in the Truth, whatever cauſe others may pretend on this account for ſtumbling. 4. It ſeems needful alſo to conſider the great influencing cauſe of this contagion, and it's too evident growth now in the Church, whilſt ſuch horrid things are by theſe vented with an amazing confidence, as, we ſhould think, a natural Conſcience in men, who have but any ſenſe and impreſſion of a Deity, and are not wholly given up to Atheiſm, could not but tremble at. 5. We would conſider what is of greateſt uſe to guard Chriſtians now againſt ſuch mortal poyſon, that they fall not from their ſtedfaſtneſs, nor be carried about with this cloud driven with ſuch a tempeſt. 6. I muſt ſhut up this with a twofold appeal, one to that Light which Quakers ſo much cry up in every one; which I am ſure, in the moſt favourable ſenſe it can be taken. is the Conſcience, that high Court of Juſtice, ſet up under the Authority of the great Judg, in every mans Breaſt, which doth enforce the ſoul to ſome reflexion on it ſelf, even when they tremble at that ſight; if before this Light, theſe can poſſibly ſtand. and be but in earneſt therewith, without horror, and amazement at themſelves: A ſecond is to the moſt ordinary obſervers in the time, if without ſhutting of their eyes, they can ſhun the clear diſcovery of the horrid impoſture of ſuch a Party, whatever high pretences they ſeem to have; how viſible a contradiction their way is not only to Scripture and Reaſon, but to it ſelf.